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US Embassy to write Gov’t again for Carter Center’s return — Ambassador Lynch
Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch says that another letter will be dispatched to the Government of Guyana to lobby for the return the Carter Center and the International Republican Institute for this nation’s election recount process.
US Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch
During an interview on Kaieteur Radio yesterday, the US Ambassador noted that while the return of the Carter Center has yet to be approved by the Government, Ambassador Lynch said she still has expectations that the group will be approved.
“We are certainly doing everything required, the Carter Center agreed to do everything required of it, and everything that CARICOM, did like making sure that they are tested before they return to the recount.”
She noted too that the interest of the two observer missions in Guyana’s elections has never diminished and is a crucial part of ensuring that Guyanese have confidence that the elections were free, fair and credible.
The US Ambassador stressed too that in her estimation the current quota of international observers may not be enough to thoroughly scrutinize the process.
“There are three from CARICOM which we think is fantastic and two observers from the OAS who are already here, so that’s five people and there are ten counting stations so that doesn’t allow for one international observer at each station. So we are very much in favour of more international observers,” she said.
The US Embassy in Guyana has been lobbying for the return of the Carter Center and IRI.
However, the government has not been outright with its decision not to allow the observers back in the country.
In a letter addressed to US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings, writing on behalf of the President, explained that the decision to oppose the team’s re-entry into Guyana is premised on Government’s measures to protect its citizens from the spread of the COVID -19 disease.
The correspondence dated May 6, 2020 was a direct response to a May 4 letter written to the President by Ambassador Lynch appealing directly to President Granger, after the national COVID- 19 Task Force failed to respond to a previous request to approve the team’s re-entry.
In the letter, Dr. Cummings explained that while the President agreed that a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) would function within the framework of the Constitution, and under the aegis of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the request for re-entry by the international observers does not hold the same weight.
Rather, the Foreign Affairs Minister said that given the prevailing circumstances regarding the COVID-19 disease, Guyana‘s public health situation takes priority. She said, “The public health situation in Guyana has changed drastically since the Regional and General Elections held on March 2, as you are aware. The Government published an extraordinary issue of the Official Gazette on 16th March and promulgated COVID -19 emergency measures on 3rd April which included the imposition of curfews…”
Citing the order, Cummings continued, “The Cheddi Jagan International and Eugene F. Correia International Airports shall remain closed to all international flights except for outgoing flights, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights, technical stops for fuels only and special authorised flights. The Government of Guyana requests that its measures to protect its citizens from the disease are respected.”
Cummings’ letter contradicted comments made by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Joseph Harmon, who claimed that the Carter Center was denied the approval when they informed government at the ‘last minute’ that observers would be aboard the flight.
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